Prentis Rogers Obituary

Prentis Rogers, an Atlanta Journal-Constitution editor and sports columnist, died Tuesday following surgery Monday at South Fulton Medical Center.

Mr. Rogers, 50, of East Point was the Journal-Constitution's assistant sports editor for baseball, NBA, NHL and boxing coverage. For 14 years, he had been radio and TV sports columnist for the paper, which he joined in 1979. He had appeared on PBS to talk about television sports coverage.

Mr. Rogers, said Dick Ebersol, chairman of NBC Sports, was a "remarkably thorough, fair and nice man in a business not necessarily known for those three qualities."

An Atlanta native, Mr. Rogers graduated from Michigan State University with a journalism degree in 1975. He was working at the Atlanta Daily World when the Journal-Counstitution hired him.

In his media column, "he humanized the people he wrote about, athletes and broadcasters," said AJC assistant sports editor David Davidson.

Readers liked that his opinions were fair, said his wife, Yvonne Manning Rogers. "He liked having the facts. That gave him the freedom to put his personal touch on situations," she said.

Away from his sports beat, Mr. Rogers could be found in a movie theater enjoying everything from "The Wizard of Oz" to "The Matrix," said his wife. He played piano in his youth and had worked as a disc jockey and could be pressed into service as a DJ at their church, she said.

Funeral plans will be announced by Murray Bros. Cascade Chapel.

Survivors include a son, Devere Rogers, and his mother, Mattie Elaine Rogers, both of East Point.

Prentis Rogers, 50, editor and sports columnist

By KAY POWELL

Prentis Rogers, an Atlanta Journal-Constitution editor and sports columnist, died Tuesday following surgery Monday at South Fulton Medical Center.

Mr. Rogers, 50, of East Point was the Journal-Constitution's assistant sports editor for baseball, NBA, NHL and boxing coverage. For 14 years, he had been radio and TV sports columnist for the paper, which he joined in 1979. He had appeared on PBS to talk about television sports coverage.

Mr. Rogers, said Dick Ebersol, chairman of NBC Sports, was a "remarkably thorough, fair and nice man in a business not necessarily known for those three qualities."

An Atlanta native, Mr. Rogers graduated from Michigan State University with a journalism degree in 1975. He was working at the Atlanta Daily World when the Journal-Counstitution hired him.

In his media column, "he humanized the people he wrote about, athletes and broadcasters," said AJC assistant sports editor David Davidson.

Readers liked that his opinions were fair, said his wife, Yvonne Manning Rogers. "He liked having the facts. That gave him the freedom to put his personal touch on situations," she said.

Away from his sports beat, Mr. Rogers could be found in a movie theater enjoying everything from "The Wizard of Oz" to "The Matrix," said his wife. He played piano in his youth and had worked as a disc jockey and could be pressed into service as a DJ at their church, she said.

Funeral plans will be announced by Murray Bros. Cascade Chapel.

Survivors include a son, Devere Rogers, and his mother, Mattie Elaine Rogers, both of East Point.

Guest Book Highlights

"Remembering my friend, the late Prentis Rogers, who once challenged me to "do stories you don't think you can do." I've tried to apply that to every aspect of my life, and I'm heartened when it's his mellow, hopeful voice I hear in the back of my..."- Carlos Frias (Pembroke Pines, FL)

"Still miss you brother."- Mike Luck (Atlanta, GA)

"Oh how I miss you so. What an honor to have been blessed with your graciousness and to have you as a brother-in-law. Seems only yesterday you were chuckling with the family and getting ready to do something exciting and fun. It's been two years..."- Nadine Manning Crandall (Columbus, OH)

"WE are sorry to her about this loss. We will keep this family in our prayers!"- Wanda Cameron (Riverdale, GA)

"I am indeed blessed and favored to have met the spirit that resided
in Prentis Rogers.Prentis ,Yvonne and Devere became a part of my extended family when I resided in
Atlanta.Real people that exemplifed
family unity and love.When I came..."- Diana Pack (Detroit, MI)

Other obituaries

Published in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution from December 11 to December 12, 2003

Family-Placed Death Notice Prentis A. Rogers "Skipper", the only child born to Mattie Elaine Rogers and the late James Isaac Rogers on August 6, 1953 in Atlanta, GA. Prentis attended Our Lady...
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